Massachusetts legislation · 194th General Court
Massachusetts S1718: An Act requiring health care employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence
Status: In committee, July 9, 2026
What the bill says
From the introduced text, February 27, 2025:
SECTION 1. Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:- Section 245. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:- “Employee”, an individual employed by or contracted for employment by, providing health care services at, volunteering at, or participating in an educational course of instruction at a health care facility, as defined in this section. “Health care employer”, any individual, partnership, association, corporation, trust or any person or group of persons operating a health care facility. “Health care facility”, a hospital, licensed under section 51, the teaching hospital of the University of Massachusetts medical school, a medium-security state correctional facility for male inmates located in Plymouth county that is operated and maintained by a private company under contract with the department of correction, or any state acute care facility, non-acute care facility, continuing care facility and group homes operated, funded or subject to oversight by the department of public health, the department of mental health or the department of developmental services except a: (i) nursing home; (ii) rest home; (iii) clinic; (iv) mobile or portable clinic; (v) mobile or portable clinic satellite; (vi) certified home health agency; (vii) adult day health; (viii) hospice; (ix) hospice …
Sponsors
- Joan Lovely (D, Second Essex) · primary sponsor
- Pavel Payano (D)
- Rebecca Rausch (D, Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex)
- Patrick O'Connor (R, First Plymouth and Norfolk)
- Liz Miranda (D)
- Kennedy, Robyn K. (D, First Worcester)
- Dylan Fernandes (D)
- Nick Collins (D, First Suffolk)
- Manny Cruz (D)
- William Driscoll (D)
- John Velis (D, Hampden and Hampshire)
- Thomas Stanley (D, 9th Middlesex)
Latest actions
- : Accompanied H4767
- : Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means
- : Hearing scheduled for 04/09/2025 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM in A-1 & A-2
- : House concurred
- : Referred to the committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
Votes
- Committee Vote - Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security (July 10, 2025): 7 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is S1718?
- S1718 is a bill in the Massachusetts Legislature (194th General Court): An Act requiring health care employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence.
- What is the status of S1718?
- In committee as of July 9, 2026. Latest action: Accompanied H4767 (July 9, 2026).
- Who sponsored S1718?
- Joan Lovely (D, Second Essex), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for S1718?
- On the Massachusetts Legislature website: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1718
Source: official Massachusetts record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.